Saturday, March 31, 2012

In My Mailbox...is a meme hosted by Kristi over at The Story Siren, and is a way for bloggers to share all the bookish (books they've won, been given, given for review, checked out from the library) goodness that recently came into their possession.

I have had a blast this month reading, reviewing and discussing some really awesome Middle Grade fiction! I love MG so much and am so glad I got to share that love with all of my Cupcakes. I want to say a big THANK YOU to all the awesomesauce authors who participated in the Madness with interviews, guest posts and giveaways! You all rock my socks off and I've enjoyed getting to know each and every one of you! I also want to thank all the wonderful Cupcakes who stopped by each day this month, read my reviews and left comment love for the various authors...huge hugs and yummy cupcakes to you all :-)

If you've missed any of this month's events you can CLICK HERE to view the home post and event calender. You also still have time to enter the big giveaway for a chance to win 1 of 2 boxes of MG books (signed books, ARCs, etc) or 1 of 2 swag packs! This giveaway ends 4/1 at 11:59 pm ET. In the next couple of weeks I will be going through entries, choosing winners and sending out the prizes.

Thank you again to all the participating authors and blog readers who made this event so much fun! I will definitely be doing this again next year :)

On their first day in Paris, Maya and her little brother, James, find themselves caught up in some very old magic. Houses with bronze salamanders for door handles, statues that look too much like Mayas own worried face, a man wearing sunglasses to hide his radiant purple eyes . . . nothing is what it seems. And what does all that magic want from Maya?

With the help of a friendly boy named Valko, Maya discovers surprises hidden in her family trees brother. And now the shimmering glass Cabinet of Earths, at the heart of all these secrets, has chosen Maya to be its new Keeper.

As she untangles the ties between the Salamander House, the purple-eyed man, and the Cabinet of Earths, Maya realizes that her own brother may be in terrible danger. To save him, Maya must take on the magical underworld of Paris . . . before it is too late

THREE-ish
WORDS:Indefinably, yet Undeniably Compelling

MY
REVIEW:Anne Nesbet’s The
Cabinet of Earths shines with its an unusual, yet captivating premise,
endearing heroine and enchanting writing.

Maya Davidson’s family has just moved from
California to Paris, France; a move that Maya is anything but happy about. But
unlike Maya, her family is excited about the move- her father has been given a
fellowship at The Society of Philosophical Chemistry, her five year old brother
James can fit in anywhere and has no problems charming anyone, and her mother,
who has survived cancer, is looking forward to reconnecting with distant
relatives. Maya soon discovers that her family tree is full of secrets, and
maybe even magic. When the mysterious Cabinet of Earths chooses Maya to be its
next Keeper, Maya finds herself entranced by its beauty and power, but she’s
not the only one. Maya’s maybe-uncle Henri is not what he seems and little
James just might be in danger.

When I say that this book is indefinably, yet
undeniably compelling, I mean just that- I was completely captivated by the
story and Nesbet’s writing, but I can’t exactly put my finger on why. There is
just something wonderfully alluring and likable about this clever and
surprisingly touching book.

The
Cabinet of Earth moves a little slower than most MG
books I’m used to, and I did notice the pacing was a bit off, but overall, I
didn’t find these things too distracting. Nesbet’s writing is quite beautiful
and, at times, almost lyrical in places. I found myself very mesmerized by
Nesbet’s ability to create very tangible emotions and moods.

Both the magical and the “real” world settings
that Nesbet has crafted are very vivid and concrete. I had no problems
envisioning the streets of Paris in my mind and I felt as if I were
experiencing this magnificent city with Maya and not just reading about it. The
magical and fantasy elements are wondrously original, whimsical, yet un-expectantly
thought-provoking. I’ve never experienced anything quite like the magical
Cabinet full of life itself with its many jars brimming with the essence of a
person’s being. To be honest, I’m not entirely sure I fully comprehend or “get”
the Cabinet’s purpose, but I’m fascinated by it nonetheless.

Maya is a complex heroine and I like her for many
reasons. On the one hand she’s had to grow up quickly and deal with the
consequences of her mother’s sickness, yet on the other hand she still has the
curiosity and wonderment of a child. I admire her stubborn and perceptive
nature and connected with her fierce protectiveness of her little brother.
James is a charming, lovable little guy and Maya’s mother is a quirky,
delightful grown up character. Valko, Maya’s new friend, is also a very likable
and endearing character. We don’t get to learn too much about him in this
volume, but I really enjoyed their friendship. And of course, the dastardly
villain is excitedly wicked.

I did find Maya’s journey eventful, but I do wish
there was a bit more adventure or thrills, especially considering its intended
MG audience. However, I was very invested in Maya’s emotional journey, especially
with the heavy weight her mother’s illness has placed upon her very young shoulders.

MY
FINAL THOUGHTS: Anne Nesbet has certainly captivated
me with her imaginative premise and wonderful writing, even if there were fewer
thrills in this MG book than I’m used to. The
Cabinet of Earths is an intriguing beginning in what I am sure will be an
entertaining series…I will definitely be reading the sequel.

MY RATING

3.5 / 5 Cupcakes

Be sure to stop by the March MG Madness home post and enter the giveaway for a chance to win a box of MG books and swag, including a signed copy of The Cabinet of Earths!

Friday, March 30, 2012

So, when I woke up today I was already pretty stoked about the weekend (new Supernatural, new Game of Thrones, no work, books to be read, cupcakes to be baked, etc), but THEN, this little box of awesome arrived...

*major squeeeeee*

Yup, Cupcakes, Word Spelunking has been chosen and I'm

CANDOR

The Candor faction prizes the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. They serve as the law, and as reporters and administrators. Above all, they strive to be honest in their dealings with others.

I had no idea this was coming and I just about e'sploded with excitement!

Harper Collins has chosen five faction leaders to lead their faction and team of nine fellow bloggers to victory. The awesome Candor leader is Kristi at The Story Siren!

Starting April 2nd the five factions will be competing against one another in a click-through challenge, with each faction trying to generate the most traffic.

Be sure to come back April 2nd for the Choosing Ceremony when all members of each faction will be announced and I just might launch a giveaway for the preciousss (aka the Insurgent ARC) *wink wink*

I want to thank Sarah Prineas for being a part of the March MG Madness and for stopping by to answer a few of my questions. Be sure to check out my review to learn more about Sarah's MG book Winterling and to watch the awesome book trailer!

I don't know if you should read Winterling, but you could read it if you like girl-power stories about magic, adventure, peril, betrayal, and tricky boy shapeshifters.

Q. Now, using as many sentences as you’d like, could you tell us a bit more about Winterling?

Winterling is about a brave girl named Jennifer (known as "Fer") who leaves our world, going through a Way to a wild land full of magic, adventure, and danger. Assisted (and sometimes thwarted) by a cranky puck-boy named Rook, she must discover her own history while setting right a terrible evil, one that is threatening not just the land through the Way, but our own world, as well. A sequel, The Summerkin, will be out in 2013.

Q. Why Middle Grade Fiction…why did you choose to write MG fiction and what do you love best about reading and writing MG?

I write MG because that's where my writerly voice leads me. I love MG because it believes that just one small person has the power to change the world (yes, that's paraphrasing Tolkien).

Q. Why do you think MG appeals to such a wide audience, from very young readers to adults like you and I?

I think both kid and adult readers of MG love stories where something happens, where there's the possibility for great adventure and change.

My current favorite MG book is The Cabinet of Earths by Anne Nesbet. My all-time favorite MG is The Hobbit by JRR Tolkien.

Q. If you could switch places with any MG character who would it be?

Laura Ingalls Wilder. Either because of the roasted pig's tail or despite it.

Q. Who’s your favorite MG villain…who do you just love to hate or hate to love?

My favorite MG villain is the giant pulsing totalitarian brain in Madeleine L'Engle's A Wrinkle In Time. That thing gave me nightmares...

Q. If Winterling were turned into a movie, who would you cast as some of your main characters?

It'd have to be voice actors, because I'd want the movie to be made by genius anime director Hayao Miyazaki.

Q. If you were to create/bake a Winterlingcupcake, what flavor would it be, or what would it taste like, and what would you call your tasty masterpiece?

Bees and magical herbs play a big role in Winterling, so I'd have to go with honey cupcakes, maybe with a delicately lavender flavored frosting. I'd call it the Wild Thing.

Be sure to stop by the March MG Madness home post and enter the big month long giveaway to win a box of MG books and swag, including a signed Winterling postcard! You can earn extra entries in the big giveaway by answering a question whose answer can be found in the interview above...go HERE to enter

I'm from Iowa City, Iowa, and my first novel, The Magic Thief, was published by HarperCollins in June 2008 and by a bunch of other publishers around the world. The next book in the series, The Magic Thief: Lost, came out in May 2009, and the third, The Magic Thief: Found, was published in spring 2010. My next book from HarperCollins is Winterling, came on January 3, 2012, followed by its sequel, The Summerkin.

With her boundless curiosity and wild spirit, Fer has always felt that she doesn’t belong. Not when the forest is calling to her, when the rush of wind through branches feels more real than school or the quiet farms near her house. Then she saves an injured creature—he looks like a boy, but he’s really something else. He knows who Fer truly is, and invites her through the Way, a passage to a strange, dangerous land.

Fer feels an instant attachment to this realm, where magic is real and oaths forge bonds stronger than iron. But a powerful huntress named the Mor rules here, and Fer can sense that the land is perilously out of balance. Fer must unlock the secrets about the parents she never knew and claim her true place before the worlds on both sides of the Way descend into endless winter.

BOOK TRAILER

THREE
WORDS:Magic, Adventure, Friendship

MY
REVIEW:Sarah
Prineas’ Winterling is an enchanting
tale full of fantastical characters, a magical adventure and surprising
friendships.

Fer has always felt as if she just
didn’t belong in this world, living with her grandmother, Grand-Jane. Fer saves
the life of a mysterious boy who is more than he seems and discovers a magical
pool of water in the woods and she opens the Way, a portal to another world. Fer’s
father and mother disappeared into the Way many years ago and left Fer in our
world, so with Grand-Jane’s blessing, Fer travels into the Way seeking answers
about her parents and about who she is. Ruled by the powerful Mor, the world
Fer finds is mysterious, fantastical and dangerous. Fer must go up against the
cruel Mor to bring spring back to this wintery place, save her new friends and
save our world as well.

I love being able to get swept away into
a new enchanting world with characters and really enjoyed joining Fer on her
exciting adventure. Falling through the Way with Fer was like stepping through
the wardrobe with Lucy (from the Chronicles of Narnia) for the first time.

Sarah Prineas has created a story that
is brimming with imagination, fascinating characters and a riveting adventure. Winterling is a quick, but engrossing
read. The voice Prineas has crafted throughout the book is pitch-perfect for
its intended audience, yet, it will captivate readers of all ages.

The world through the Way is vivid and
full of the whimsical, the dark and unexpected new discoveries around every
corner. This world is inhabited by a wonderfully wondrous assortment of beings
and characters, from trolls to a mysterious Leaf Woman to Wildlings, and
bursting with mesmerizing magic, from glamories to healing herbs to unbreakable
oaths. It seems as if Fer, and readers, have only begun to explore and discover
this other world, and I look forward to learning even more about this exciting
place in the sequel.

Fer is a gem of a MG character! I love
her curious, and dauntless nature. She’s a believable, relatable
and easy to root for heroine. I think most readers will be able to connect with
Fer’s feelings of never really fitting in among her peers and wanting to
believe that she has an important purpose. Rook, the mysterious boy who isn’t always a
boy, is a very layered and well developed character. He isn’t a very talkative
character and comes off a bit hard and distant, but like Fer, I couldn’t help
but trust him; there’s something so endearing about him.

Prineas has created a truly complex
and devious villain with the Mor, who claims to be the one of the true Ladies
of this world. I loved how manipulatively charming she can be. She’s definitely
a villain that’s fun to loathe.

Fer’s adventure leads her to some
heartbreaking news, but she also discovers a great deal about her own strength
and power, which I found really uplifting. There are quite a few really
thrilling scenes that left me breathless and eager for more. Prineas ends the
book on a happy, satisfying note, but leaves plenty of room for more adventures.

MY
FINAL THOUGHTS: Winterling took me on a fantastical
journey through an enchanting and wonderfully created world, with a really
awesome heroine. I’m definitely hooked on this series and can’t wait to read
the sequel!

Thursday, March 29, 2012

I want to thank Stephanie Burgis for participating in the March MG Madness with this awesome guest post! Be sure to check out my Review to learn more about Stephanie's MG book Kat, Incorrigible.

My Top 10 MG Heroines

Stephanie Burgis

The heroine of my own novels, Kat Stephenson, is a girl who launches herself all-out into adventure, defying social conventions to perform scandalous magic, parley with highwaymen, and shock all her Regency-era peers......so in other words, I am an ENORMOUS fan of strong MG heroines! Aeicha asked me to write about my very favorite MG heroines, so here they are in no particular order: ten girls who made me sometimes cheer, sometimes laugh out loud, and sometimes even cry. I love them all.1. Aluna in Above World, by Jenn Reese. Aluna is a thirteen-year-old warrior - quite literally! Her fight scenes are breathtakingly vivid, I felt totally empowered just by reading about her and entering into her mindset - and then, oh, her romance (with a guy who LOVES her strength and power) is so sweet and funny, too. It starts with her...okay, I won’t give any details. But basically, it’s awesome! READ THE BOOK! ;)2. Miss Penelope Lumley in The Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place, a series by Maryrose Wood which begins with Book One: The Mysterious Howling. Penelope is a very responsible young governess who is landed with a perfectly extraordinary set of pupils - they were literally raised by wolves! Her adventures with them are hilarious - I laughed out loud again and again as I read, and I cheered for Penelope as she stood up for her small, howling charges.3. Zoe in A Crooked Kind of Perfect, by Linda Urban. Zoe wants to be a concert pianist and dazzle audiences in Carnegie Hall...but when her dad goes out to buy her a piano, he gets confused and comes back with something very different. This book had the same quirky, funny tone as the movie Little Miss Sunshine, and I loved it...especially Zoe’s courage in making the best of a bad situation and absolutely GOING FOR IT - with sometimes hilarious results.4. Mattie in Hound Dog True, also by Linda Urban. (I love Linda Urban’s novels!) Mattie is completely unlike Zoe, but I loved her just as much. Paralyzingly shy, all Mattie wants is to fade into the background, staying carefully closed away from danger...but her bravery draws her into more and more contact with the people around her, and I actually cried at the ending of the book because it was so wonderful to see Mattie finally embracing her own dreams.5. Hermione Granger in the Harry Potter series, by You Know Who. I do love Harry, but I identified with Hermione SO MUCH from her very first appearance in Book 1 (a geeky, bookish, brown-haired girl who always has to prove to everyone how smart she is...hmm, who could she possibly remind me of???), and by the last book, I just wanted to BE her. She grows up to be smart, strong, clear-eyed, sensible and brave, AND she’s passionate about civil rights even when everyone else sneers at her for it. As much as I think JK Rowling was right to end the series where she did, I love imagining Hermione’s magical adventures in later life (especially as hinted at by the epilogue of Book 7!).6. Flora Segunda in Ysabeau Wilce’s Flora Segunda series. (The third book is finally coming out this spring, hooray!) I adore Flora’s verve, her sense of style, her stubbornness and her deep (sometimes conflicted) loyalty. I love watching her and her friends swagger around their fabulously weird and wonderful alternate-American fantasy world, Califa. I love her strong voice, the utterly unique way she describes everything. Most of all, I just love these books.7. Neela in Vanished, by Sheela Chari. Neela wants to be a musician, but she’s also horribly shy. When her precious veena (a traditional Indian instrument) is stolen from a church in Boston, though, she finds her core of courage as she hunts down the stolen instrument, traveling from America to India and uncovering the legend behind the theft. I loved the mystery, I loved the international setting, and I loved the family dynamics (especially Neela’s relationship with her mother), but most of all, I loved watching Neela come into her own.8. Allegra in The Mozart Season, by Virginia Euwer Wolff. Allegra is another musician - hmm, that is a theme, isn’t it? Maybe I should explain here that I used to be a musician, too. When I first discovered this book, I was fourteen and determined to be a professional classical musician. I read this book with a shock of recognition - it was the first time I’d read about another girl around my age (Allegra is twelve) who was as serious and committed to music as I was. This book is about the summer Allegra spends preparing for her first finals in a major music competition, and even after I stepped off the professional music track myself, I kept on re-reading this book at least once a year. It’s a quiet book, but it is beautiful. Allegra’s family is so vibrant and real, and her passion for music shines through everything. Even as she deals with the panic and stress and pressure of the oncoming competition - where she’ll be competing against adults - she’s also coming to terms with the complexity of adult life as it’s being revealed to her. It’s a coming-of-age summer, and it’s perfectly pitched...and I just love Allegra’s deep core of compassion and strength.9. Anastasia Krupnik in the Anastasia series by Lois Lowry. I discovered these books when I was in middle school, and I just gobbled them up. I loved (and still love!) smart, stubborn Anastasia and her whole wonderful family - her poet/professor father, her artist mother, her precocious younger brother Sam. I identified so much with Anastasia, and I laughed and laughed at the farcical situations she ended up in. I read every Anastasia book in my middle school library, and then last year, twenty years later and in a different country, I discovered an Anastasia omnibus on the shelf of a charity shop in Hay-on-Wye. I bought it with a little bit of trepidation - what if it didn’t work for me as an adult? I had nothing to worry about. I laughed and laughed all over again.10. Catherine in Catherine, Called Birdy, by Karen Cushman. Catherine is a medieval girl ordered by her older brother to keep a diary in order to discipline her mind and learn to conform. It doesn’t work! She is irrepressibly stubborn, grumpy, rebellious, short-tempered...and incredibly lovable. This was such a fun book, and I adored being swept into her medieval world, complete with captive bears that must be saved, shaggy-bearded suitors that must be somehow disposed of, and older brothers that must be taught their proper place. Just delicious!What about you guys? Which heroines do you love? I’m always looking for more recommendations!

Be sure to stop by the March MG Madness home post and enter the big month long giveaway to win a box of MG books and swag, including a copy of the UK version of Stephanie MG novel! You can earn extra entries in the big giveaway by answering a question whose answer can be found in the guest post above...go HERE to enter

I'm an American writer who lives in Wales with my husband, fellow writer Patrick Samphire, our son, "Mr Darcy", and our crazy-sweet border collie mix, Maya. My MG Regency fantasy trilogy is being published in the UK as THE UNLADYLIKE ADVENTURES OF KAT STEPHENSON, starting with Book One: A MOST IMPROPER MAGICK, and is being published in America as KAT, INCORRIGIBLE. I've also published short stories for adults in a variety of magazines, anthologies, and podcasts.

Katherine Ann Stephenson has just discovered that she's inherited her mother's magical talents, and despite Stepmama's stern objections, she's determined to learn how to use them. But with her eldest sister Elissa's intended fiancé, the sinister Sir Neville, showing a dangerous interest in Kat's magical potential; her other sister, Angeline, wreaking romantic havoc with her own witchcraft; and a highwayman lurking in the forest, even Kat's reckless heroism will be tested to the upmost. If she can learn to control her new powers, will Kat be able to rescue her family and win her sisters their true love?

THREE WORDS:Marvelous Magical Mischief

MY REVIEW:Kat, Incorrigible by Stephanie Burgis is a wonderfully delightful MG read that thrilled, enchanted and enthralled me with its intrepid heroine, fantastical story and excellent writing!

Twelve year old Kat Stephenson is determined to save her family from financial and social ruin, and somehow get her eldest sister, Elissa, out of having to marry a sinister man decades older than her. When Kat discovers that her other sister, Angeline, has used their deceased mother’s spell books to concoct her own plan, Kat decides to do the same. Kat soon learns that she and Angeline have inherited her mother’s magical abilities, but they both find out that magic is anything but easy. When Stepmama takes the three girls on a trip in hopes of securing Elissa’s engagement to Sir Neville, Kat must put her smarts, courage and magical gifts to the test to save her family and perhaps help her sisters find true love.

This is such a wickedly fun, wildly exciting and wondrously whimsical book! Stephanie Burgis offers readers a splendid adventure full of humor, rousing adventure, captivating fantasy elements and an unforgettable heroine.

Brimming with imagination and vivid imagery, the world Burgis has created is very well developed, believable and easy to fall into. Stephanie Burgis has captured and explored the charming and fascinatingly layered essence of the Regency Era in a way that will simply enchant readers of all ages. And younger readers will have so much fun reading about Kat’s adventures that they won’t realize just how much they've learned about this era’s social and cultural norms.

Kat Stephenson has earned a place as one of my absolute favorite heroines (right up there with Hermione Granger and Anne Shirley)! This plucky, endearing firecracker of a girl has oodles of courage, determination, wit, wonderfully reckless ideas and mischievous charm. I think younger readers will find Kat relatable, what with her habit of getting into trouble and her sassy mouth, but awe inspiring at the same time. And I think older readers will love being able to live out all their old childhood fantasies of grand adventures, daring rescues and defeating the dastardly villains, through Kat…I certainly did.

But there are other compelling characters in this book as well. I really loved Kat’s sister Angeline, who is incredibly witty and smart and who has a very awesome Girl Power fueled attitude. Mr. Collingwood and Mr. Carlyle are both dashing and charming young men that I had fun swooning over. And of course, any epic adventure must have a wicked villain, and this book has a few!

The fantasy and magical elements in Kat, Incorrigible- from a magical portal found in a pocket mirror to floating teapots and love spells gone awry-are fun and whimsical. Kat’s exciting adventure is full of the unexpected and I loved very minute of it. The book ends on a heartwarming and happy note, but with plenty of room for more magical mischief.

MY FINAL THOUGHTS: I had such a fabulous time reading this book and joining Kat on her adventures. Kat, Incorrigible is truly a marvelous MG book and I cannot wait to read book two (which comes out in April '12)! A fun, must read!

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Welcome to my little square on the disco dance floor of life! It's good to have you here. Come in and dance a little boogie, shake your little booty, and get ready to talk books! My name is Aeicha and I'm a proud Supernatural and Harry Potter fangirl, and my literary soulmate is Lauren Myracle. Please email, tweet, or Facebook me (visit my Contact Me page to learn how) with any questions, thoughts, concerns, rambles, delicious cupcake, recipes.If you have a book you'd like me to review please visit my Review Policy page to learn more. I'm always interested in participating in blog tours, hosting giveaways, or conducting author and/or character interviews.

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My Rating System

Five Cupcakes:

I absolutely loved this book! It's the bee's knees, the cat's meow, the squirrel's nuts. It's the double chocolate, frosting smothered, sprinkle covered homemade cupcake on top of the cupcake tower that you crave. You MUST read this book.

Four Cupcakes:

This book is awesome! It's the pretty store bought cupcake that's almost as good as your mom's. You really should read this book.

Three Cupcakes:

This book is very good! It's the cupcake you don't mind eating, but it isn't your favorite. Read it if you have the chance.

Two Cupcakes:

This book failed to impress me. If I were on a plane and had to choose between reading this book and listening to the person next to me talk about their spoon collection, I'd go with the spoons. This is more of a bran muffin than a cupcake. Read it if you want.

One Cupcake:

No amount of frosting or sprinkles could save this cupcake. I don't recommend reading this book.